


Untitled Jo fic

by Chash



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Comment Fic, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-08
Updated: 2011-10-08
Packaged: 2017-10-24 10:18:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/262373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chash/pseuds/Chash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: I'd love anything about Jo or Ellen. I love them both like crazyflakes.</p><p>Maybe something about growing up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Untitled Jo fic

**Author's Note:**

> Written for cee_m.

Dad missed Jo's fifth birthday.

She was just old enough that she can still remember it, remember it clearly, even. She had a party--she had parties back then, like other kids--and the theme was cowboys. One of the girls in her class said that girls couldn't have cowboy parties, and her mom said that of course she could, she could do whatever they wanted.

"There's no law about who can be a cowboy," mom said.

"But they're called _boys_ ," said Jo, miserably.

"Yeah, and firefighters are called firemen sometimes, doesn't mean girls can't do it." Ellen smiled. "Baby, you can be whatever you want to be."

When that girl (how weird is it, she sometimes thinks, that she knows there _was_ a girl, but she forgot her name?) saw Jo's dad wasn't there, she said _of course_ she wanted to be a boy, because she didn't have a daddy, and girls who didn't have daddies didn't turn out right.

It was Jo's only birthday party to be interrupted by a fight, which seems surprising, in retrospect, and mom said it was okay, which is even more surprising.

"I'm not saying violence is the answer," she'd said. "Just that sometimes, the question doesn't deserve anything better."

Their first fight about her being a hunter, which feels like years ago, Jo threw it all back in her face, said she wasn't treating her like anyone, said she wouldn't let her do those things because she wasn't a boy.

"Being a boy or being a girl has nothing to do with it," her mom said, and Jo remembers how tired she'd sounded. Like this was nightmares coming true. "Being my child, my _only child_ \--I wouldn't want you in danger like that no matter what."

And she tries not to think about that, tries not to feel bad, but the first time she misses her mother's birthday because she's away from home, she can't help but think that she's been unfair sometimes. Not that mom hasn't, but it's easy to take the high ground for herself.

Mom doesn't pick up, a miracle, or maybe just good luck after too long without it. "Hey," she says, having to struggle to keep her voice even. "It's me, Jo. I just wanted to call and say--I love you. Hope you're having a good birthday." She closes her eyes, wonders what else she can possibly say. "I hope I'll see you soon."

It doesn't feel like enough, exactly, but it feels like the right thing to do.


End file.
